Oscillating valve



Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES I OSCILLATING VALVE Louis I.Gamache, Inglewood, Calif.

Application February 8,

'2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to valves and more particularly to thetype of oscillating valve set forth in. U. S. Letters Patent No.1,781,901, issued November 18, 1930.

The principal objects of my invention are,to generally improve upon andsimplify. the construction of the valve disclosed in the aforesaidpatent, as Well as other similar forms of oscillating valves and toprovide an oscillating valve and its actuating mechanism that is capableof being readily assembled or taken apart so 'as to facilitateinspection, adjustments and repairs.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a relatively simple andefficient bearing for the lower portion of the stem of the valve andwhich bearing comprises a minimum number of parts that are capable offacile adjustment in order to maintain the valve in proper operativeposition and further, to construct the valve and its operatingmechanism-so that it will act positively to control, without leakage,the flow of gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber of an engine andalso to control the discharge of products of combustion fromthecombustion chambers. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. 1 is an elevational Viewv of an internal combustion engine equippedwith my improved oscillating valve and its operating means.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.t

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the body of the valve.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section takenon the line 4-4 of Fi 2. I

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. 1

Referring uby numerals V to I the accompanying drawing whichillustratesa practical embodiment of my invention, 10; designates thecylinder block of the engine, 11 the combustion chamber therein, 12'the'piston'that operates within the combustion chamber and 13 a port andthroat that communicates with the upper portion of the combustionchamber and which port may be either the inlet or exhaust port.

Projecting laterally from the upper ports of the cylinder block 10, is avalve housing 14 and 1932, Serial No. 591,521 (01. 123-81) rigidlypositioned therein isa sleeve 15 provided with diametrically oppositeports 16, one of which communicates with the port and throat 13 and theopeningl'l through this sleeve tapers gradually toward. its lower end,thereby providing a tapered seat for the oscillating valve.

The upper end ofthe valve chamber within the sleeve 15, is closed by aremovable plate 18,

through which is formed a horizontally disposed duct 19 and leadingdownwardly from said duct and communicating with the upper ends of thevalve chambers in the sleeves 15, are ports 20.

I Duct 19 is suitably connected to a source of liquid lubricant. supply,for instance, a pump providedwith a diametrically arranged port 23,

the ends of which are adapted to register with 1 theports lfivduring theoscillatory movement of 30 said valve and formed in the top of thisvalve is a recess 24 that is adapted to receive lubricant from the port20.

' Leading through the wall of the valve, just above the bottom of therecess 24, are diametrig5 cally opposite ports 25, and formed in theperiphery of the valve body and leading downwardly from the outer endsof these ports are small vertically disposed grooves 26 that terminateadjacent to the lower ends of the valve body. These ports 25 and grooves26 are located on the surface of the valve body between the ends of port-.23 and they provide means for conducting liquid lubricant unto thesurface of the valve as it oscillatesand also unto the surface of thetapered valve seat.

The upper end of a valve stem 27 is detachably secured in any suitablemanner, preferably by means of ia pin or key 28, to the lower end ofvalve 22 and the lower portion of this valve stem is journaled in anadjustable bearing that is mounted on the upperportion of the crank caseFormed in the upper portion of the crank case is a threaded opening 30and formed in the crank case at one side of this opening and incommuni-- cation therewith, is a notch 31.

The external threaded lower portion of a sleeve 32 is screw-seated inthe opening 30 and the upper end of the sleeve terminates in a square orn hexagonal body 33 that may be engaged by a wrench or like tool forscrewing the sleeve up- Wardly or downwardly through its threaded seat30.

A lock nut 34 is screw-seated on the threaded portion of sleeve 32 andwhen tightened against the upper surface of the crank case, this nutsecurely locks the sleeve in its vertically adjusted position. This locknut is in the form of a disc provided in its edge with notches 35 forthe reception of a spanner wrench or like tool.

The lower portion of the opening through sleeve 32 is enlarged to form achamber for a bail bearing 36 and the outer race of this bearing bearsagainst the shoulder at the upper end of the chamber in said sleeve andthe lower end of this outer race is engaged by a ring nut 3'7 that isscrew-seated in the lower end of the chamber in the lower portion of thesleeve.

The upper end of the inner race of the ball bearing bears against ashoulder 38 that is formed on the lower portion of stem 27 and the lowerend of said'inner race is engaged by the upper end of the hub portion 39of an arm 40 and which latter is disposed at right angles to the axis ofthe valve stem or spindle 2'7.

Hub 39 is detachably connected in any suitable manner, preferably bymeans of a pin or key 41 to the lower end of stem 27 and depending fromthe outer end of arm 3'7 is a pin 42.

The length of arm 4Q'is such that it will pass upwardly through thenotch or opening 31 when the valve and its operating parts are removedforthe purpose of inspection, adjustment or repairs.

The hub portion of a lever 43 is pivotally mounted on a pin or post 44that depends from the upper portion of the crank case adjacent to theopening 30 that is occupied by sleeve 32 and this lever occupies aposition immediately beneath and parallel with arm'40.

The free'end of lever 43 is provided with a short longitudinallydisposed slot 45, through which passes pin 42.

Depending from the intermediate portion of lever 43, is a stud 46, uponwhich is journaled a roller 4'7 and this roller occupies the eccentricgroove 48 that is formed in a cam 49 and the latter being carried by camshaft 50. This cam shaft is suitably driven at proper speed from thecrank shaft of the engine.

During operation of the engine with which my improved oscillating valveis associated, the roller 47, engaged by groove 48 in cam 49, impartsswinging movement to lever 43 and the engagement of the pin 42 in slotimparts swinging movement to arm 40 and due to the difference in thelength of lever 42 and arm 40, the latter will swing through a greaterare than lever 43 and thereby'impart the desired oscillatory movement tostem 2'7 and valve 22.

As the ends of the port 23 in the valve register with the ports 16 insleeve 15, communication is established between the combustion chamberand the manifold to permit gaseous fuel to enter the combustion chamberor to permit burnt products of combustion to pass from the combustionchamber to the manifold and in proper time relation 7 to the movement ofpiston 12 the valve will be oscillated so as to move the ends of port 23out of registration with ports 16, thereby cutting off the further flowof gaseous fuel or products of combustion through the valve.

During this oscillatory movement of the valve and its stem, the lowerportion of said stem operates with minimum friction as a result of theprovision of the ball-bearing between the lower portion of said stem andsleeve 32 and during oscillation of the body of the valve, the surfacethereof and the surface of the tapered seat 17, is lubricated by liquidlubricant that passes through ports 25 and flows downwardly through thegrooves 26.

Sleeve 32 may be screwed upwardly or downwardly in its seat to providethe necessary adjustment for the bearing at the lower end of the valvestem and after such adjustment the sleeve tion or repairs and duringsuch removal the end of arm 40 passes upwardly through notch or opening31. Thus it will be seen that I have provided an oscillating valve thatis relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture,capable of being readily assembled or taken apart and which is veryeffective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

My improved valve is positive and reliable in operation and is capableof being easily and accurately adjusted so as to take up any wear thatmay occur and consequently preventing leakage of the gaseous fuel orproducts of combustion that pass through the valve and the sleeve inwhich it oscillates.

It will be understood that minor changes in the said stem, a sleevescrew-seated in a threaded opening in a fixed part of the engine inwhich the valve is associated, means for locking said sleeve indifferently adjusted positions, an arm carried by the lower portion ofsaid valve stem,

there being an opening in the fixed part of theengine to permit theinsertion and removal of said arm while positioned on said stem andmeans for imparting swinging movement to said arm to oscillate saidvalve carrying stem.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the corn-- bination with a valvestem, of a bearing adjustably seated in a fixed part of the enginestructure, which bearing receives the lower portion of said valve stem,an arm carried by said stem below said bearing and there being anopening" formed in the engine structure adjacent to said bearing forpermitting the insertion and removal of said arm while secured to saidstem. 7

- LOUIS P. 'GAMACHE.

